Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 58090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
No thanks.
“Damn it.” I stalled in the doorway of the stairs, hanging in a blind spot for a moment. I couldn’t disable every camera. I didn’t even know where the control room was. I hadn’t had a chance to study the building, get my hands on the blueprints, or consult with anyone to determine the best plan of action. I was fine working as a lone wolf, but fuck, I needed resources!
Sweat dripped down my neck, and I swiped it away. Tori, where are you?
Footsteps sounded from halfway down the hall. I slunk inside, letting the door close soundlessly behind me, and ducked around the corner, out of sight of whoever was headed my way.
“—knocked out cold. One of the broads got loose. Vinnie’s never gonna hear the fuckin’ end of it. That is…if Richie doesn’t kill him first.”
“He won’t. That’s his nephew.”
I peeked around and spotted the source of the two voices. Jake—the bodyguard that was always with Richie and another guard, tall, dark, and walking with a slight stiffness. I didn’t recognize him, but if Jake was on this floor, Richie was nearby.
I ducked back and waited as they passed by, taking the elevator. I watched as they rode down to the first floor. I glanced around the corner again. It was clear, so I started running. I kept light on my booted feet, not letting the heavy heels hit the glossy linoleum flooring.
On the third floor, the storage spaces were numbered and had small, residential-sized doors. Most were closed and had thick padlocks, but a few weren’t locked, presumably empty.
More voices stopped me in my tracks, and I grabbed the handle of the nearest unlocked storage space and ducked inside, closing it immediately.
The cocking of a gun stopped my heart.
I slammed my hand on the light switch, throwing bright lights around the eight-by-ten room half a heartbeat before I whirled around to face the gun, reaching for my own as I spun. I raised it just as I registered that it was Tori—a gun leveled right at my chest.
“Tori!” I hissed, dropping my weapon to my side.
“Bennett!” Relief flooded her face as she realized who had entered the storage room. “Shit!” she exclaimed under her breath, realizing she’d nearly blasted me into next week. She lowered her weapon, and I took three quick steps across the room and gathered her into my arms.
Warm tears splashed down her face as I kissed her. “I’m here, Tor. I’m here.”
God, she tasted good. Smelled good. Felt amazing. My fear amplified all the more, even though she was back in my arms, as though only just realizing how close I’d come to losing her forever. Again.
“What are you—what happened at the club? I thought you were—well…” Tori rambled, furiously wiping away her tears. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and the outline of a welt was rising on the side of her beautiful face. I glanced down and caught sight of her mangled wrists; deep lacerations cut into her perfect skin.
Rage rushed through me. “I’m gonna kill that motherfucker,” I growled, my tone more animal than human.
“I’ll let you,” Tori scoffed. I raised her hands to inspect the wounds on her wrists. “He had us zip-tied to chairs. We have to get Paige. He still has her.”
I nodded and kissed her broken skin as gently as I could. I had a first aid kit in the truck, and although it was entirely impractical, I wished I’d brought it with me. She wasn’t in critical need, but I hated to see her wounds and bloodied wrists all the same.
“I know. Reed’s across the street. I went back to the club. After everything with Richie, I had to see you. But you weren’t there, and no one could find you. Paige’s friends were at the bar and said she’d been gone for too long and that she’d last been seen with you. I had this sick feeling that something happened.”
My words trailed off as every emotion flooded through me all over again. Tori was here and safe, but the thought of what could have happened had my knees ready to buckle right out from under me.
“I found Reed, and he told me about the voicemail from Richie.”
“I was so scared, Bennett. I thought he was going to—”
She stopped, her voice choking in her throat.
I pulled her against me, holding her as tight as she could likely stand it. “Where’s Paige?”
“In a storage room like this one, three hallways down. I shouldn’t have left Paige, but someone recognized me. He was going to tell Richie.”
“Shit.”
She nodded. “Paige told me to run, but what if—”
I stopped her with the tip of my finger pressed against her lips. “We’re going to get her. Right now. You good with your gun?”
Tori nodded. “You know it.”
I gave her a half-cocked smile. “Damn it, just when I think you can’t get any sexier.”